Triggering apparatus and work locating means for aerosol spray cans



I Unlted States Patent [1113,549,059

(72] Inventor Leonard B. Sloan [56] References Cited [21] A I No x32"?UNITED STATES PATENTS [22] 53,- 0a.}, 1968 2,821,048 1/1958 Efford et a1222/402.13x 3,159,319 12/1964 Parish 222/402.15X [45] Patented Dec. 22,1970 [73] Assignee xemx Corporation 3,180,531 4/1965 Beard,Jr. et al.222/182 RocheStenNm 3,260,416 7/1966 Abplanalp 222/402.15X 8 corpo ationof New York Primary Examiner-Stanly H. Tollberg Attorneys-Paul M. Enlow,Norman E. Schrader, James J.

1b ldZ'b 11' d'lh J.W 1 s4 TRIGGERING APPARATUS AND WORK R3 3 ate Rm ewas LOCATING MEANS FOR AEROSOL SPRAY CANS l clam" 3 Drawmg FigsABSTRACT: An aerosol spray can triggering mechanism hav- [52] US. Cl.ZZZ/402.15 ing a frame adapted for mounting on a spray can, devices for[51] Int. Cl. 865d 83/00 actuating the pushbutton for the spray can andlocating means [50] Field of Search ..222/402.15, positionable upon awork element and associated with the 394, 182, 162(lnquired),402.13;401/193, 148, devices for positioning the spray can nozzle at apredeter- 206, 48, 137 mined position relative to the work element.

a 2a I l o (f: J- ,7 j I I0 PATENTED [1502mm $549,059

INVENTOR.

LEONARD B. SLOAN ATTORNEY TRIGGERING APPARATUS AND WORK LOCATING MEANSFOR AEROSOL SPRAY CANS This invention relates to a spray can triggerapparatus and, in particular, to a spray can trigger apparatus foraccurately directing and efficiently dispensing liquid material onto atarget area. I

Many dispensable liquids are now conveniently packaged in aerosol spraydispensers, or, as more commonly referred to, spray cans. Along the widerange of industrial uses found for the spray can is the dispensing oflubricants or cooling oils in small hand-cutting operations such as pipethreading or the like. Although the spray can dispenser has certainadvantages over the heretofore used hand brush application, itnevertheless has proven to be a wasteful means of applying liquids,primarily due to the human errors involved. It has been found that theoperator has trouble directing the spray initially into the target area.That is, the operator must seal or sense in some manner the direction ofthe main spray stream and then redirect the stream into the target. Ascan be seen, much material is wasted during the aiming sequence beforethe liquid can be accurately placed onto the target. Furthermore, therate and volume at which the lubricant is delivered into the target isfound to vary with individual operators depending on the distance thatthe nozzle is positioned from the target and the amount of pressureapplied to the dispensing noule. Here again, because of the many humanvariables involved, it has been found that the spray can application iswasteful and therefore uneconomical.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a spraycan triggering mechanism which will accurately direct and efficientlyapply a liquid dispensed from an aerosol spray can.

A further object of this invention is to eliminate waste due to humanerror in the dispensing of spray can liquids.

These and furtherobjects of the present invention are ob tained by meansof a spray can mechanism having a yokelike support member being adaptedto be affixed to a body of a spray can applicator, a flexible armmounted on the support member, locating means on said flexible triggerarm being adapted to be positioned the spray nozzle at a known distancefrom the target area, a nozzle actuator'mounted on the flexible arm andbeing arranged to actuate the spray can nozzle when the flexible arm isdepressed and a spray guide associated with the nozzle actuator todirect the spray from the can into the target area.

For a better understanding of these and other objects of the presentinvention, reference is had to the following detailed description of theinvention to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation in partial section of the trigger apparatusof the present invention shown mounted on an aerosol spray can;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the triggering apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial end view of the triggering apparatus of the presentinvention shown in FIG. 1'.

The apparatus of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. l3 and isadapted for use in conjunction with a spray can 8 having a barrel shapedcan actuator 9 having a recessed type nozzle therein. Generally, in thistype of spray can, the volume rate of liquid dispensed from the can isproportional to the distance that the cap is displaced. The greater thedisplacement of the cap greater the volume rate of flow of liquidallowed to pass through the nozzle. The spray can shown in FIG. 1 isillustrated acting upon a pipelike work element, however, as will becomeapparent from the discussion below, the present invention is notrestricted in its use and is adaptable to be used in relation with anytype work element. Furthermore, it should also be clear that the type orshape of the spray can are likewise not limiting and the presentinvention can be adapted to the number of cans of different sizes andshapes.

As illustrated, a typical trigger mechanism will include a yokelikesupport frame 10 having a recessed opening 11 therein adapted to slipover and seat upon the upper rim of the spray can. The support memberhas a slot 12 machined therein which allows the yoke to be separatedsufficiently to permit recess 11 to easily slip over and seat againstthe rim portion of the can. As shown in FIG. 2, a countersunk clearanceis in one half of the support hold 13 machined therein to receive screw14 while the opposite half of the support is threaded to mate with thescrew. In operation, the support member after it is properly seated onthe rim, is locked to the can by tightened screw 14 causing the splithalves of the support to be forced together.

Flexible actuator arm 15 is supported in cantilever style at apredetermined height above the support member by means of spacer 16.Both the arm and the spacer are affixed to the support member by meansof flat head screws 17 passing therethrough so that the arm extendssubstantially parallel and below the intended spray stream path. Anelongated slotted aperture 18 is provided in the flexible arm throughwhich the upper part of the spray can is free to pass. Mounted overaperture 18 on the flexible arm 15 is trigger button housing 19 whichincludes four sidewalls and a cover plate 20. The housing is secured tothe flexible actuator arm by means of screws 21. A setscrew 22, having arounded end portion thereon, is adjustably supported in cover plate 20and is arranged to contact the barrel-shaped spray can actuator when theflexible arm is in a natural or a nondeformed condition. The front wall23 of the housing has a round aperture therein in which is in serted aplastic tube or barrel 25. In assembly, the support frame is locked inrelation to the can so that the nozzle located in actuator cap 9 ispointed directly down barrel 25. The barrel acts as a guide to directthe liquid sprayed from the nozzle towards the intended target area.

As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible actuator arm is bent well below theelevation of tubular plastic barrel 25 and has affixed to the free endthereof adapted to be inserted into pipe member 27. The shank portion ofthe tapered member is passed through the flexible arm and riveted overto secure the member to the arm. Although the spray can is hereinillustrated operating on a pipelike member, it should be clear that theapparatus of the present invention can be similarly engaged by any typework element to preposition the nozzle prior to application of thespray. An adjustable screw 28 is supported in support frame 10 directlybelow the free end of the flexible arm and can be set to a predeterminedheight to limit the horizontal movement or deflection of the arm.Adjusting screw 28 to a predetermined height restricts the verticalmovement of the arm and thus limits the amount of overspray directedinto the target area.

In practice, a conventional spray can was positioned so that thecenterline of the can was 3 inches away from a flat piece of cardboardwith the centerline of the nozzle substantially perpendicular to theplane of the cardboard paper. The nozzle was than depressed for onesecond to dispense liquid material onto the cardboard target. Fivesample tests were made in the above manner and the results noted.Circles of VA-il'lCh increments up to 2.0 inches in diameter were markedoff on the targets and patterns in the area coverage determined.Definite diarnetral patterns were prevalent. From the center of thetarget outward to a diameter 0.500 inches, 100 percent of the targetarea was covered by the dispensed material. From 0.500 inches to 0.750inches approximately percent covered and from the 0.750 inch diameterout to the 1.250 inch diameter there showed a light low density coverageof about 5 percent to 0 percent area coverage.

The above test was repeated utilizing the fixture as herein disclosedhaving a barrel which was approximately 2%inches long and having aninside diameter of 0.375 inches. The results from this second testshowed percent area coverage on the targets up to the 0.500 inch indiameter. However, the coverage rapidly fell off from this point out.Only up to 5 percent coverage between the 0.500 inch diameter and the0.750 inch diameter and no coverage at greater distances was noted. Forall practical purposes, a definite one diameter pattern was produced byusing the present fixture with practically no waste outside the intendedtarget area.

It was further found during the testing period that most conventionalspray cans produce what is called center-miss" when 'material is sprayedonto a target area less than 3 inches away from the nozzle. That is, thespray is directed substantially outward away from the centerline of thenoule so that the center of the target receives comparatively littledispensed material. By placing a tubular barrel in the fixture of thepresent invention, it was found that the normal spray pattern issubstantially contained or even inwardly directed thus effectivelyeliminating the center-miss effect. In fact, these tests showed that thespray pattern could be controlled to obtain desired target coverage bymodification to the barrel shape.

In operation, the operator inserts tapered member 26 into the holeportion of pipe 27 and, with the member properly seated therein,continues to apply pressure to deflect actuator arm downwardly againstsetscrew 28. The deflection of arm 15 causes screw 22 to move downwardlyinto actuating contact with cap 90f the spray can. As can be seen, whenthe trigger apparatus is so engaged with the workpiece, the spray nozzleis properly aimed at a predetermined distance from the target area. Itshould be further evident that by adjusting the height of setscrews 28the amount of travel of the pushbutton actuator is limited, thuscontrolling the volume rate of flow of liquid dispensed from the nozzle.The volume rate of flow is preset to an optimum dispensing condition inrelation to the distance that the work is supported from the spray andnozzle. Once the tapered member is properly located in the hole portionof the' pipe and the actuator button depressed, the nozzle isproperlyaimed at the target area and an optimum rate of fluid dispensedinto the target area to eliminate much of the waste heretoforeassociated with this type of dispenser.

While the invention has been described with reference to the structuredisclosed herein, it is not confined to the details set forth, and thisapplication is intended to cover such modifications or changes as maycome within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A trigger apparatus for accurately directing and efficiently applyingliquid material to a predetermined target area on a work element from anaerosol spray can dispenser of the type having a pushbutton nozzle, saidtrigger apparatus includa support frame for mounting said triggerapparatus on the spray can in predetermined relation with the spray cannozzle;

a flexible arm supported on said support frame in cantilever fashion andbeing capable of deflecting substantially in the plane of movement ofthe spray can pushbutton;

actuator means mounted on said flexible arm and arranged to overlay thespray can pushbutton wherein a deflection of said arm in the plane ofmovement of said pushbutton actuates the spray can, said actuator meansbeing adjustable in relation to the elevationof the pushbutton;

an adjustable stop positioned in said support frame to limit the amountof deflection of said flexible arm; and

locating means mounted on the free end of said flexible arm and disposedin front of the spray-can nozzle for contacting and engaging said workelement for positioning the spray can nozzle at a predetermined locationand distance from the work whereby applying further contacting pressurebetween the work and the arm will deflect the arm to actuate said spraycan.

